


One-Eyed Jack

by moodymarshmallow



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-11
Updated: 2012-06-11
Packaged: 2017-11-07 12:31:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/431227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moodymarshmallow/pseuds/moodymarshmallow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders and Isabela talk about freedom and cats--mostly cats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One-Eyed Jack

“Did you really have a cat on your ship?” Anders folded his cards and placed them face down on the table. He was tired of losing anyway.

“Of course I did,” said Isabela. “You have to, or else rats will eat your stores.” Isabela leaned as she reached across the table, giving Anders an eyeful. She picked up his cards, flipping them over. “Dammit, you were winning this time!”

“I was? Ooooh, we’re not playing Wicked Grace, are we?” Anders sat back in his chair as Isabela groaned. She gathered up the cards and stuffed them into her boot. “What kind of cat was it? Was it a tabby?”

“It was, in fact. He was this big brute named One-Eyed Jack. According to his previous owner, he’d lost the eye in a fight with a mabari; the mabari got the worse end of it, from what I heard.” Isabela finished her flagon and wiggled it at the barmaid, waiting for a refill. “You’re a strange man, you know. You’re the only person I’ve met that knows I was a Captain and only wanted to hear about the ship’s cat.”

Anders tilted his mug, watching the ale slosh, half-full and foul. “Well tell me about something else then.”

“You would like it at sea,” Isabela said, stretching out and lacing her fingers behind her head. “There’s a sense of freedom there that you just can’t get anywhere else. It’s being your own master, working at your own schedule, going where you want, when you want, with nobody to stop you.” Isabela looked at the ceiling wistfully.

“That sounds…really amazing.”

“I’ll tell you what—as soon as I get a new ship, you’ll be the first sailor I press.” Isabela smiled wryly.

“I might just take you up on that.” Anders pushed the flagon across the table towards Isabela; it wasn’t as if Justice would let him finish it anyway.

“Say, do you still know how to do that electricity thing?” Isabela raised the flagon to her lips, lifting her brows.

“Why, Isabela! Are you propositioning me?”

“I’m just trying to decide what kind of skills you might have that would be useful on a ship. Captains get so…tense…” Isabela winked.

Anders stretched his hand across the table, palm upwards, gesturing for Isabela to put her hand in his. There was a tiny blue spark when she did. “That’s not just something I’d forget; even now.” Anders smiled slightly and tried to take his hand back, but Isabela grabbed his wrist.

“Ooooh, why don’t we continue this conversation in my room, hmm?”

“I don’t…” Anders smiled and shook his head slightly. “I’m not really the same man that I was…”

“Oh come on, you’re still Anders.” The smile on Isabela’s lips was friendly; hinting at more, but friendly. There was so much more kindness in those eyes than she would ever let on.

“All right.” Anders stood, letting Isabela lead him to the room she kept upstairs.  ”Can you tell me more about your ship?”

She did; they were up for hours, talking about sailing, electricity, and cats, until they fell asleep together near the fire, Isabela’s head resting on Anders’ shoulder. It would all be different in the morning; but for now, there was a precious glint of freedom.


End file.
